Summary

  • FT: Exeter Chiefs 42-12 Northampton Saints

  • Exeter reach fourth successive Premiership final

  • FT: Saracens 44-19 Gloucester

  • Nick Tompkins bags hat-trick of tries for Saracens

  • Premiership final at Twickenham on 1 June

  1. Postpublished at 53 mins

    Exeter 28-12 Northampton

    Brent Pilnick
    BBC Sport at Sandy Park

    O'Flaherty tryImage source, Getty Images

    Just to prove that Exeter’s backs are pretty decent as well, O’Flaherty stormed in for that try.

    That burst of pace to go around Dan Biggar will have done his hopes of keeping his place in the line up for the final, should Exeter make it, no harm.

    Don’t forget he was playing Welsh Premiership rugby just a couple of seasons ago.

  2. Postpublished at 52 mins

    Exeter 28-12 Northampton

    Any hope for Northampton in this one or have Chiefs already done enough?

    Alex Cuthbert is nearly away for another score for the hosts but Saints close the door in time on him.

    Might just be a temporary lull though.

  3. try

    Try: Exeter 28-12 Northamptonpublished at 48 mins

    Tom O'Flaherty, con Joe Simmonds

    Tom O'FlahertyImage source, Reuters

    And this may well be the game!

    A marvelous solo score for Exeter from Tom O'Flaherty comes moments after that Dave Dennis try.

    The winger burst away from the halfway line up the middle and then had the speed to escape the chasing defenders. Crowd on their feet after that one.

    Simmonds on target again off the tee.

  4. try

    Try: Exeter 21-12 Northamptonpublished at 45 mins

    Dave Dennis, con Joe Simmonds

    Exeter celebrate third tryImage source, Getty Images

    Exeter back on it and they have a third try.

    It's Dave Dennis who sneaks in to dot down inches out from the line after some picks-and-go's off that line-out.

    How crucial might that be? Simmonds adds the extras to push them into a nine-point lead.

  5. Postpublished at 45 mins

    Exeter 14-12 Northampton

    Brent Pilnick
    BBC Sport at Sandy Park

    Interesting tactical change in this second half.

    Northampton have moved their man mountain winger Taqele Naiyaravoro to the opposite wing to go up against the much smaller Tom O’Flaherty.

    The big Pacific Islander had got little change out of Alex Cuthbert in the first 40, but has already had one good run in the opening minute.

  6. Postpublished at 44 mins

    Exeter 14-12 Northampton

    Northampton concede a penalty for being offside 30 metres out and fairly central.

    But Exeter again back themselves to kick for touch and try and score the try.

  7. Postpublished at 43 mins

    Exeter 14-12 Northampton

    Some early energy from Northampton in the second half as they work it through their back line.

    But Exeter organised in defence and force it back on to Saints.

  8. Kick-offpublished at 41 mins

    Exeter 14-12 Northampton

    Cobus Reinach throws a pass for NorthamptonImage source, Getty Images

    Here we go again then...

    Two points in it. Will it go to form or will we have an upset to talk abut come full-time?

  9. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 17:25 British Summer Time 25 May 2019

    Tweet using #bbcrugby

    Andy: Wow ... Saints should have been going into the break 19-14 up!

    David: Following the rugby here in France. This looks like it could be a closer game than the first. Still fancy Sarries in the final though!

    It must be noted that there is a facepalm emoji in that tweet from Andy. A pretty good way of summing up that missed chance for Saints at the end of the first half.

  10. Who joins Sarries at Twickenham?published at 17:23 British Summer Time 25 May 2019

    FT: Saracens 44-19 Gloucester

    A place in the Premiership final is the prize for the winner of this remember.

    Whoever it is will join Saracens at Twickenham next Saturday after the defending champions won 44-19 against Gloucester earlier.

    Read how it all unfolded below...

    Saracens crush Gloucester to make final

    Nick Tompkins 16-minute hat-trick helps Saracens thrash Gloucester 44-19 in their Premiership semi-final at Allianz Park.

    Read More
  11. Postpublished at 17:21 British Summer Time 25 May 2019

    HT: Exeter 14-12 Northampton

    Brent Pilnick
    BBC Sport at Sandy Park

    Alex Moon throws a pass for NorthamptonImage source, Getty Images

    A half of two halves if ever there was one.

    Exeter dominated the first 20 minutes , but what a fight back by Saints.

    This one really could go either way. Thank goodness half-time is here as everyone here at Sandy Park needs to catch their breath.

  12. Postpublished at 17:21 British Summer Time 25 May 2019

    HT: Exeter 14-12 Northampton

    Well, well.

    What a first half that was - not entirely how many pundits might have scripted it.

    More of the same after the break please...

  13. Half-timepublished at 40 mins

    Exeter 14-12 Northampton

    That's the break but it was so nearly the perfect end to the first half for Northampton!

    Rory Hutchison burst through from halfway and passed inside to Cobus Reinach - who spills it!

    Almost the rugby union equivalent of missing an open goal!

    Had the scrum-half clung on, it would have been Saints in the lead for the first time.

  14. Postpublished at 39 mins

    Exeter 14-12 Northampton

    Tom O'Flaherty back on the field to bring Exeter back to 15 men.

    Meanwhile, it opens up for Northampton in attack and Dan Biggar has a drop-goal attempt in the closing seconds of the half.

    But the Welshman skews that one easily wide of the sticks.

  15. Postpublished at 38 mins

    Exeter 14-12 Northampton

    Exeter's Matt Kvesic is tackledImage source, PA

    Exeter win some psychological battles in the loose as they cling on with 14 men.

    Northampton drift out of touch on the right side as they try to find a gap out wide.

  16. Postpublished at 35 mins

    Exeter 14-12 Northampton

    Brent Pilnick
    BBC Sport at Sandy Park

    What a turnaround! Fair play to Northampton, they looked dead and buried but those two tries mean it’s anybody’s game.

    Rory Hutchinson’s superb handling for Tuala’s try needs to be seen to be believed.

    And with Exeter down to 14 men now it's Saints in the driving seat.

  17. Postpublished at 34 mins

    Exeter 14-12 Northampton

    Exeter rally and again force an error from Northampton on halfway.

    Joe Simmonds kicks for touch once more to try and set it up off the line-out but Chiefs can't execute this time and Northampton can clear their lines.

  18. try

    Try: Exeter 14-12 Northamptonpublished at 30 mins

    Ahsee Tuala, Dan Biggar missed con

    My word - here we go!

    What a comeback from Northampton and what a score from one end to the next.

    It's Ahsee Tuala who finishes it off eventually, but it was initially made by a great break by Tom Collins as he chased down a high kick form Dan Biggar from his own 22.

    They shifted it left and then across to the right for Tuala to dot down, but Biggar is wide with the conversion so Exeter stay ahead by two points.

  19. try

    Try: Exeter 14-7 Northamptonpublished at 29 mins

    Penalty

    It's a penalty try for Northampton and a yellow card for Exeter's Tom O'Flaherty!

    Game on all of a sudden with Chiefs down to 14 men!

  20. No trypublished at 29 mins

    Exeter 14-0 Northampton

    James Fish drops the ball over the line, but wait - we could still have points for Northampton here due to some off-the-ball antics by Exeter winger Tom O'Flaherty.